Robin O'Brien

Brief synopsis of 'The Man Who Came to Tea' (TV adaptation): Bumbling, forgetful and complacent, beer loving father leaves the family home. Suave, superior, powerful, ‘bold-as-brass’ man enters the family home uninvited. Man flirts with young girl. Man devours everything in sight; little girl looks on in admiring awe. Mum quietly disapproves yet encourages the man’s behaviour. Theme song promotes spiritual opening of doors and greedy, self-indulgent, quick gratification behaviour. Whilst the man tongues and licks every last drop from the kitchen tap the girl alludes to his tail being “all sticky” as she strokes it. The girl takes the proud and satisfied man to the bathroom to clean him off. The girl fantasises about a relationship with the man. The girl invites the man to bed, the man enters the girl’s bed. Mum supports the relationship. Man leaves the family home with a bow. Father comes home and the family home is violated. Everything is okay though, it was all a bit of “harmless mischief” apparently, and the family go out to dinner (yay!) Mother and child go out and buy more food especially for the man’s (I mean “tigers”) anticipated return. “Happy ending” (!)